Test Taking

      As the end of the first semester approaches, the pressure of passing all your exams can be stressful. In High school I was a ready bad test taker and like 60% of the time was just because I didn’t study enough. I noticed that my main reason on why I didn’t study that often is because I didn’t know how to study. Throughout the year I learned other people strategies. One person told me to chop up my study guide and learn parts of it on different days leading up to test day. Another person told me to make flash cards. For me personally I learn by quizzing other people on the subject. SBCC offers many different resources to help you study. 

On the west campus there is the library and its somewhat quiet but also have a coffee cart and computers. They also have cubicles if you prefer to study alone. On the bottom floor they have a quiet area for people who can only study when its quiet. In the same building there is the writing center that has gateway tutors for your classes. 

Sometimes I like to study outside so I have some fresh air and relive myself from all the stress of class and at home life. I usually go to the big hill on west campus or the beach across from the school.

 If you’re having trouble focusing try to study with a friend who is going to help you stay on task and get your work done. If your struggling in a class make sure you go to your teacher’s office hours to get the help you need. Before a test day make sure you get at least 8 hours of sleep and don’t stay up late. A common mistake that I see is cramming information the night before. Cramming will do nothing but stress you out so that’s why you should break up your studying into multiple days of small sections. The morning of my test I try to make sure I eat something even if it’s small because otherwise I would be thinking of food the whole time I was taking the test. . Try not to be stressed out before taking a test because that can also effect performance level. Good luck in the rest of the semester

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

When you think of the month October you think of haunted houses, pumpkins, costumes and trick or treating. October is a time to be with your friends with a cup of hot chocolate and watch Netflix. This is also a time where all the pumpkin flavored stuff comes out.  Sadly, October can be seen as a different time for some people. As you may know October is also known for Breast Cancer Awareness month. It is very common for a person to have someone in their life that have been afflicted with such a serious disease. Before coming to Santa Barbra my grandma was diagnosed with breast cancer. At first it was just a mass in her chest and they removed it with no problem. I was told that she would just have to have radiation and nothing more. When I left for college my  

grandparents told me that they would come visit me as soon as my grandma’s radiation was done. After a few months I was getting curious on why they haven't come to see me yet. When I went home last weekend I was expecting everything to be normal like it always was. When I walked in to my kitchen the first thing I saw was my grandma and I noticed she had a wig on. At first, I was shocked and didn’t know what to say but I didn’t want her to feel any more worried than she already was so I put on a happy face and acted like everything was okay. I later found out that she has been put on chemo and is about to have her last round pretty soon. It is just so hard to see someone one day knowing that they are going to be okay and then the next day they look completely different. If you know someone who has any form of cancer than you know how hard it is to see a loved one slowly deteriorate in front of you. There still isn’t a cure for it yet but there are many ways to help support researching the cause of this disease. There are many different walks, donation, and groups that are located around where you live. I will leave some links below to help you find some way to help find a cure to cancer.

INFO: http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-awareness-month

WHAT IS IT: https://www.dignityhealth.org/central-coast/services/cancer-care?invsrc=paidsearch&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI18mO4vGW1wIVkLXACh0V2APoEAAYASAAEgLrB_D_BwE&dclid=CJra6uPxltcCFQJ_YgodwKQGzg

I'm going home Part 2

Very short blog today but.....I’m very excited to say I’m going home this weekend. I have been trying to go home for the past 3 weeks. The original reason for me to go home was to just see my family and to spend time with them but I do need to get my hair done and no one in Santa Barbara knows how to do ethnic hair. My mom thought it would be a good idea to just come home and get my hair done while I’m down there. I’m also very excited to see my dog Peaches! I love her so much because she was always there for me when I have bad days. Every time I come home she is always waiting at the door for me. Besides my dog I miss my own room with a bed that can fit more than one person. It’s nice to have your own bathroom and your own space. I love my roommates to death but every once in a while, I need time to myself. Even though its quite a long journey home it is always worth it in the end to see my grandma, grandpa, and mom have smiles on their faces. I already know that as soon as I get home on Friday, my grandma will have a full meal ready for me. Last time I went home my grandma made me a really big salmon just for me and no one else. My grandma even made my bed for me and rewashed all my sheets and folded them on my bed. She always goes above and beyond when I come home. The one thing I miss the most about being living in Santa Barbara is my car. When I drive, it's my time to just be myself and driving also helps with my stress. Before I moved to SB I used to drive and take my friends everywhere. I can’t wait to go home and see what is waiting for me!!

Prioritizing

I noticed that being in college is a hard transition from being in high school. In high school teachers are much nicer with homework and in class assignments compared to being in college. For me the hardest thing was changing my study habits. In high school I had normal study habits but when I came here it all went down the drain.

For me to function I have to have some type of extra curricular activity to do everyday, otherwise I get lazy and I don't want to do anything at all. When I came to SB I wasn't in any sports so I wasn't exercising at all. I'm used to having something to do every day after school whether it was competitive soccer, track practice, or wrestling practice, I had something to do to keep me busy and active. 

I also miss my friend Brandon from home. He now goes to UC Irvine and is doing great. He and I used to work out together back home and he made me stay in shape, besides being in all the sports I was in. Now I know its easy to just say "well just go to the gym and get a membership" but in reality I'm a full time student and it's hard to juggle school plus my personal life and studying. I decided to take matters into my own hands and decided to try out for the Tropicana soccer team. Even though it wasn't really a try out, I still put my best foot forward and show off what I can do. Now that I'm in a sport again, I know that I need to eat really healthy to keep in shape plus continue to exercise. I have not yet motivated myself enough to go to the gym 3 times a week, but I try to do little excercise in my room when I have time. I don't know why it took me so long to notice that you can't slack off in college because it is so easy to get distracted with all the activities around you. 

Make sure you have your priorities straight and remember that you are paying a lot to be here whether you are in state or not. Sadly, it took me two and a half months to figure my life out. I'm not saying don't go to parties or have fun, but I am saying make sure you know what your priorities are. 

I GOT A JOB!!

Hey guys! Its been a while since I have posted because I was sick and I had a lot of tests going on in the past two weeks. To catch you up on what's been going on with me, I recently got a job at the movie theaters in Goleta.

I've never had a job before in my life. The only type of work I've done is volunteer work back home. I have been doing volunteer work since my Freshman year in high school (to try to  qualify to get a cord at graduation, which I did receive). I've always wanted to get a job because I like the feeling of being rewarded for something I worked hard to earn. Back home I applied to 15 places over summer and only got one call back — they ended up not hiring me because I was leaving for college shortly after I applied.

I decided I should try and apply for a job here in Goleta. For some reason, the first place that popped in my head was the movie theaters. When I applied online, I did not put a specific place I wanted to apply to, so my application got passed around to all of the Metropolitan theaters in Goleta.


A few days later I got a call from three different theaters in Goleta — two of them were on State Street. The first interview went great — he said he liked all of my answers and would give me a call back in two weeks. Two weeks went by and I got a call from a totally different theater saying they wanted an interview ... This one was also on State Street, across from the first one. This second interview went better than the first, and I was excited because I really thought I got the job this time. He also told me that I would hear back from him in about two weeks.

Only one week went by when I got another call (during class) — another theater in Goleta, the one I originally wanted. She wanted me to come in the next day for an interview. I was happy I got the interview, but at the same time I felt discouraged because I'd been shot down twice already. I decided to try one last time and put my best foot forward with a smile on my face. I was so excited that I showed up 30 minutes early! During the interview she said, "I usually don't do this, but I can tell you're a people-person and I am going to hire you on the spot." When she said that I was smiling from ear to ear ... and didn't stop smiling until I got back home and told everyone. I was so excited that I finally got a job — the first paying one I've ever had! I felt really proud of myself and treated myself to a bowl of ice cream!

The hardest Decision I Had to Make

   If you read my last post I talk About being safe and making smart decisions when it comes to choosing to take an ambulance or not, or just in life. Well I couldn't even follow my own rules. This past Friday was one of the worst days I've had since I've been in Santa Barbara. I was in one of my friends rooms and I decided to be funny and take something of his, so I took his comforter off his bed. 

As I grab the blanket I decide to run out the door. Now may I remind you I didn't have shoes on I had socks on. I was on the second floor and the balconies are really slippery with socks. As I bolt out the door he starts chasing me with socks on too. As I look straight, thinking I'm Usain Bolt, I see a fire extinguisher on the corner right before you turn. It was one of those Fire extinguishers with a glass case around it. As I'm running as fast as I can I think I'm slowed down enough to turn the corner safe and I thought wrong. I turn the corner losing my grip on my feet and slide into the glass case shattering the glass along with me on the ground laughing. As I look up everyone one was poking their heads out their door and laughing. My adrenaline was so high I walk it off and walk back into the room where I came from. I wasn't in pain or anything I was just embarrassed more than anything. I was moving my left arm unnoticed my hand was wet and I looked down and my whole arm was covered in blood so I rushed down stairs to the lobby and the front desk had to call the paramedics. Now at this point I'm freaking out a little bit because I don't like doctors and I had a big gash in my left forearm and everyone was telling me that I was going to need stitches. I also have a fear of needles, I HATE NEEDLES! So they offer me a ride in the ambulance to the hospital and I said no because like I said in my last post it cost around $3,000 for a ride. I searched around and found someone who could drive me to the hospital. When I arrived I got checked in, got my blood pressure ,and a wristband. I was fine I wasn't worried because I personally thought it wasn't that bad. I get called back into the ER and the doctor examines my arm and says I need stitches . As soon as she said that I started crying.

 I was so scared to get a needle in my arm that I started having a panic attack . I called my mom and she said I had to do it. But since I was 18 I had the choice to refuse service so I was on the fence but I knew deep down I needed to get it. It took me 30 min to convince myself to get them . An hour of screams and tears later it was finally over and I could relax and all the needles were over and I could go home. As the nurse brings my discharge papers I had a big smile on my face and then she says “ I also have your tetanus shot for you” my smile went from ear to ear to back to tears. I was so mad but had to get it done. I have never been so happy in my life when I got to walk out those doors after 2 hours of being there

Nurses Office

The nurses office is a place to go when you're not feeling well or you want to ask health questions. You would think a place like that would be safe, right? Well one of my closest friends had a UTI and she went to the nurses office thinking she can grab some medication real quick and get out. But it was the complete opposite of that. She told me it was the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to her. When she came home she was telling us what happened and she mentioned that it was a complete violation of patient confidentiality and respect. The nurse just sent her off and said there is nothing we can do. She told me her condition got even worse. I've also had a few other friends tell me that their trip to the nurse wasn't the best. It was the same disrespect level and again just sent them off with nothing.

If you have a medical concern or have a question I would suggest having a primary care doctor already set-up. You can also look for doctors around your area so you have a back up plan. While we are on the topic of doctors, I have a tip for situations that could save you $3,000. If there is a serious situation and you feel the need to go to the emergency room and its walking distance, I would suggest walking. It's not worth calling the ambulance if you absolutely don't need it. If it's life threatening then yes, be smart and call 911. Also, if you have a friend that can drive you or someone you know who has a car, you should ask them to take you or your friend to the ER. You should always be careful and safe and know where the nearest doctor is located in your area.

Doctors in Santa Barbara:
http://jacksonmedicalgroup.com/
http://doctors.cottagehealth.org/john-mccaffery-santa-barbara-otolaryngology
https://sansumclinic.org/find-a-doctor/doctor/profile/glenn-hollingshead?utm_source=local&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=gmb

Emergency Rooms:
https://www.cottagehealth.org/locations/goleta-valley-cottage-hospital/

Labor Day Weekend

          

Last week my mom surprised me and said she bought me tickets to come home for Labor Day weekend to see my family and friends. My best friend Brandon was having some problems at home and really needed a friend to be with him and he wanted me to come down but I wanted it to be a surprise. For some reason, he wanted to Face Time me EVERYDAY and every day I had to lie and say I can't come down because it is too expensive. It broke my heart that he became so sad but it was also very funny because I was really coming down the next day to see him. I had to leave from the school to the train station but I did not want to walk. So, for the first time, I got an Uber. I got to the train station way too early (about 2 hours early) because I was afraid to miss the train. My train left at 12:45pm and I was going to get into sac at about 11:30pm (12-13-hour train ride).

When I got into sac the first thing I did was see my dog then I went down to Brandon's house and surprised him. It was the best feeling in the world to see him and make him so happy to the point of almost in tears. I took us both to Denny's and we had a 3am dinner. When I got home I went straight to my dog and took her from her crate and put her to sleep in my bed. the next morning i wanted to surprise my grandma so I went to search for her and I walked up behind her and called her name. When she turned around to look, her eyes lit up and she had a smile from ear to ear. She gave me a big hug and a kiss on my cheek that left a big red lipstick stain. my grandpa wasn't so surprised to see me. he just turned around and said "hey cc". 

When day 3 came around I was really missing Santa Barbara and all of the new friends I made. I would have thought I wouldn't want to come back but it was the complete opposite. To take my mind off of school I went to my friend Whitney's house and went swimming with her and her family members. It's weird to say that I got “school” sick. I was really excited to go back to school and see all my friends at Tropicana. When I got back to SB Monday afternoon some of my friends were having a dance party in our living room and I ran up the stairs and into my room and started dancing with them. I really wanted to cry because I missed all my roommates and friends that I made.

About Me

                                  WELCOME!

Me in front of a original car in the movie Batman

      Hey guys welcome to my blog! I’m so excited to be blogging about me and what’s going on in the world and talking about going to SBCC from the student perspective. I just wanted to share a little about my personality and my interest with you for my first post. So first off, I would like to introduce myself, my name is Sienna Jackson my nick name is CC but mostly family calls me that. I was born and raised in California and I have not lived anywhere else. I have one older sister named Mariah who just turned 23 on August 1^st   however, she moved out and now lives in downtown Sacramento.

 I live with my Grandpa, Grandma, my mom and best friend Peaches. In case you were wondering Peaches is my dog not a human. I got her in 2008 and fell in love with her when I picked her up and she fell asleep in my sweatshirt, I knew she was the one because we both love to sleep 24/7. I went to Cosumnes Oaks High School in Elk Grove CA and played on 2 varsity teams in a span of 4 years.

All the Seniors on my competitive soccer club Union

 I was a shot put divisional champ for all 4 years and broke the school record of 33ft and 9inch and I threw 36ft 9inch. I also did discus but wasn’t as good at it. I was a varsity wrestler in the 189lb weight class my senior year. I Danced for my school’s dance team called HYPE my senior year too. Outside of school I was a competitive soccer player for about 12years and I played center forward and goalkeeper.

     I notice that I easily get attached to different hobbies and don’t stick with them for a long time. For example, my grandma taught me how to sew and I got into making clothes for people and of course they did not look the best they could, but my mom bought me a $200 mannequin for me to make clothes and I used it for about 2 months and never touched it after that. I also got into writing songs and wanted to be a song writer but that didn’t work out well either, then I wanted to be a gymnast and I stayed with that for a few months and quit before I got far. 

   

Picture from my Instagram

Picture from my Instagram

    There are two hobbies I am really passionate about and its photography and writing. Photography is something I use to relive stress and use to show what I’m thinking for the day or just for fun. I have been into photography for over 4 years and I have now created a business called Premium Photography and I created an Instagram page called Premium__photography. I have also written a monologue for an acting competition and I've also written a few books and movies.

       People have told me that I have a really bubbly personality but I honestly think I’m the weirdest person you will ever meet. For some reason, I can get really hyper out of nowhere and literally run around my house until I get tired and knock out on the floor. When I get hyper I do weird things, for example the other day me and my roommates were sitting in the living room and I got this weird burst of energy and I thought it would be really funny if we all took mug shots and hung them on our wall, and we did!

Mug shot of one of my roommates Grace

          It was the best night for me because I got closer to my roommates and got to see their true personalities. I love spending time with them and playing Just dance off of YouTube and blasting music right before quiet hours, which is 10pm. I’m so happy I was put into a suite with them because they all have some piece of my personality in them which makes me more comfortable living with them. To close out on my rant about me and my life and who I am as a person, I just want to say I’m glad to be sharing my college life and taking on this challenge of being at SBCC with you. I’m not here to blog about boring fake stuff you see all the time, I’m here to blog about reality and student life and hopefully you read or see something you relate to. So, until my next blog,Adios muchacho’s.